US Deploys Carrier to Venezuela, Recalling 'Freedom' Interventions
The Trump administration's deployment of a US aircraft carrier signals a 'hardening stance' towards Venezuela. This isn't the first time an American warship has been parked off a nation's coast, coincidentally, a nation rich in oil. From the Persian Gulf in 1991 to Libya in 2011, US foreign policy often finds its 'humanitarian concerns' sharply increase when significant natural resources are
involved. Curiously, the same urgency is rarely seen when condemning allies who commit flagrant human rights abuses, especially if they're buying US weapons. One might wonder if Venezuela's 'authoritarianism' becomes infinitely more problematic when it’s sitting on the world's largest proven oil reserves. Compare this to, say, Saudi Arabia, whose human rights record is routinely met with arms
deals and diplomatic shrugs from the very same administrations. It appears the 'hardening stance' is more flexible depending on who signs the checks for US armaments.